Bullpen

Bullpen

Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun

Maybe the cloud of doubt has cleared over the Orioles bullpen (and maybe not). The team's late-inning guys pitched very well last week, with the exception of one costly pitch by Darren O'Day (pictured) in the ninth Saturday. Jim Johnson's clean ninth Friday for his 40th save didn't remove all doubt about his recent struggles, but the way he teamed with Francisco Rodriguez and Tommy Hunter to shut down the A's for three innings that night was encouraging. Take away six earned runs surrendered in two games by long guy T.J. McFarland and O's relievers had a combined 0.84 ERA, but leave those runs and innings in the equation and the ERA rises to 4.98. Grade: C

Maybe the cloud of doubt has cleared over the Orioles bullpen (and maybe not). The team's late-inning guys pitched very well last week, with the exception of one costly pitch by Darren O'Day (pictured) in the ninth Saturday. Jim Johnson's clean ninth Friday for his 40th save didn't remove all doubt about his recent struggles, but the way he teamed with Francisco Rodriguez and Tommy Hunter to shut down the A's for three innings that night was encouraging. Take away six earned runs surrendered in two games by long guy T.J. McFarland and O's relievers had a combined 0.84 ERA, but leave those runs and innings in the equation and the ERA rises to 4.98. Grade: C (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun)

Maybe the cloud of doubt has cleared over the Orioles bullpen (and maybe not). The team's late-inning guys pitched very well last week, with the exception of one costly pitch by Darren O'Day (pictured) in the ninth Saturday. Jim Johnson's clean ninth Friday for his 40th save didn't remove all doubt about his recent struggles, but the way he teamed with Francisco Rodriguez and Tommy Hunter to shut down the A's for three innings that night was encouraging. Take away six earned runs surrendered in two games by long guy T.J. McFarland and O's relievers had a combined 0.84 ERA, but leave those runs and innings in the equation and the ERA rises to 4.98. Grade: C